Unusual Way
by vanderlylecrybabygeek
Summary: Though Drake Parker hasn't seen Mindy Crenshaw in five years, she's the last person he'd want to run into...especially when he's high.  Originally intended to be a one-shot future fic; attempting to add.  T for language and drug use.
1. A Run In With the Enemy

**This idea randomly came to me, and I couldn't let it go! :) My first Drake & Josh fic!**

He smiled as he stumbled out of the club, glassy eyed and shoving a small plastic bag of powder into his pocket. The cold air hit him as he walked out onto the sidewalk, the buzz just starting to kick in. His vision was starting to blur as he shoved his hands in his pockets and looked down the street, spotting a blurry version of his car. He saw a woman approaching him; while she was still faraway and slightly fuzzy, he knew that silhouette anywhere, and his childhood was approaching him. He hadn't seen her in at least five years, but the haunting sound of her voice still plagued his nightmares.

"Drake Parker," she said as she neared him, a familiar sly smile creeping across her face.

"Mindy Crenshaw," he replied through gritted teeth. "What are you doing in this part of town?"

She nodded her head toward the direction she came from. "I was getting a late dinner with a friend at a restaurant a block away. What about you?"

"Just hanging out."

"Clubbing?" Mindy spat, smelling the alcohol on his breath.

Drake looked at the ground and shuffled his feet a bit. He opened his mouth to answer, but Mindy interrupted.

"I see not much has changed since high school, ignoramus. Still making horrible decisions. Did you ever get that record deal that Josh was always telling me you'd get? Cause I can't say I remember hearing any Drake Parker hits tearing up the radio airwaves…"

"Would they play my songs on Snobby Bitch Daily?" he asked, trying to come up with a better comeback but feeling inferior like he always did when talking to her.

She smirked, trying to stifle her laughter at the pathetic comeback that had just left his mouth. "What do you do now, anyway? Still trying to pursue that dream that'll never become a reality?"

Drake rolled his eyes so far back that she could only see the whites. "Yeah, I play gigs and shit. What do you do? Bitch at people for a living?"

"I'm a lawyer, so in a way, yes, but my 'bitching'" – she used air quotes around the word that made Drake seethe – "makes me a hell of a lot more money than you make playing hole in the wall joints like that," she replied as-a-matter-of-factly, pointing toward the bar she had correctly guessed Drake just walked out of.

"Ha," was Drake's only response. He was starting to feel the high from the coke he'd snorted before he headed out of the club, and he wanted to get home before he was unable to drive; he usually got high privately, but it felt so good obtaining the drugs that he dove right in a few minutes after he paid the dealer.

"What's Josh up to?" Mindy asked, brushing her short brown hair out of her face. She had an angled cut now, and under the streetlights, she seemed to glow. She was a lot prettier than Drake remembered, but he realized it could be the fact that he'd just done some really good coke. Whatever the reason, she was borderline beautiful, and that was a scary realization to him.

"Uh, you know, the usual," Drake told her, rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably. "He's hanging out, working…he's a science teacher at a middle school, so he's got that going for him."

Mindy noticed that something was wrong with the way Drake was acting, but she decided not to say anything. "Well, tell him I say hi. I'm sure you've gotta be off somewhere. Some new girl's bed to sleep in or something." She watched as he looked down and his hair fell in his eyes; she'd never thought anyone who looked remotely similar to him was attractive, but he had gotten better looking since she'd last seen him years ago. His features were more defined, and his chin was covered in stubble.

Drake managed a laugh before brushing past her. "Something like that. Later, creature."

Mindy stood on the sidewalk for a moment as she watched him stumble to his car. She sighed, knowing that she couldn't let her harsh feelings for him that had somehow remained strong over the years win over her better judgment. "Drake!" she called to him, watching him slowly turn around on the heel of his boot. "Let me give you a ride home."

One eyebrow sprung up, getting lost under the sea of auburn bangs that adorned his forehead. "You _do _want to sleep with me," Drake chuckled with a shrug, walking toward her again.

Mindy shot him a serious look. "I don't want to sleep with you. You are high. You are not driving home."

"Pssh, I'm not high," he answered with a wave of his hand.

"You are high as a kite," Mindy scowled, grabbing his hand and dragging him in the direction of her car. "I was trying to give you the benefit of the doubt, but I suppose I can't think highly of a lowlife musician, huh?"

"I'll be more successful than you one day."

"No." There was a bitterness in her voice that made Drake's heart ache. She almost apologized at how unintentionally angry she'd sounded, but she decided he didn't deserve an apology.

They walked silently down the street until they reached a black Lexus. Mindy started toward the driver's side and watched as Drake started incredulously at the vehicle. "What are you waiting for? Get in!"

"This is nicer than my car."

"No surprise there. I get paid more than $2 per hour." She opened the door while he still stood outside, watching her fasten her seatbelt. She waved him into the car, rolling her eyes along with the gesture.

He sighed, knowing he was fighting a losing battle and got into the car, sinking into the soft seat. The streetlights were starting to blur together, making an interesting array of yellows and oranges in the sky. The buildings looked like they were in motion.

"What are you on, anyway?" Mindy asked, jamming the key into the ignition and backing out.

"Uh." Drake tried to speak, but he was startled by the fact that she drove fast. This was Mindy Crenshaw, the overly cautious, overly ambitious, overly intelligent menace from his adolescence driving him home like a speed demon. It had to be a bad trip. That was the only way he could justify the craziness of this situation. "Um, pot," he said, running his hand through his hair.

"And what else?"

"That's all."

Mindy took her eyes off the road for a moment long enough to give Drake a stare that burned his skin. "What else, Drake?" Her tone was serious. "And does your brother know? I'm going to assume no because there is no way in hell Josh would let you get away with this!"

"Fuck, Mindy, I'm a grown man. What's a little pot gonna do to a person?"

"You take more than that."

"I don't."

"Jesus, Drake, I'm a lawyer. It's my _job _to figure out when people are lying, and you've got it written all over your face. What are you on?"

"It's none of your business," he said sharply, sticking his hand in his pocket to make sure that his precious coke was still in his possession; he was sure that Mindy could get him to surrender it by telekinesis or something ridiculous like that. She was still so intimidating to him, and he couldn't figure out why. They were both adults now, but he still felt like a child huddling in the corner to get away from the enemy.

"Where do you live, anyway?"

"Turn left at the light."

Mindy let out a sigh of disgust as she looked over at him again. "I can't believe I'm being so nice and taking you home."

"I can't believe it either."

"You know, this is deplorable behavior, Drake. You're an adult, and if you ever want to make something of yourself, you need to…"

It was then the buzz set in. All her words started to slur together, and the only thing he really remembered her saying was, "Drake, are you even listening to me?" and him mustering up all the effort he could just to nod at her. He somehow got her to his place, but by the time they arrived, he was completely gone. "Sex?" Drake quizzed hopefully as Mindy pulled into the driveway.

"Absolutely not. God, how much of that stuff did you take?" Mindy had a few friends that would occasionally get high in college, but she had never done it herself; that was never anything she was interested in. For her, college wasn't about having fun; it was about being as successful as possible, making people jealous with her vast knowledge.

As she looked at him, his deep chocolate eyes were being eaten by his dark black pupils. His eyes were glazed over, and she was sure it was the scariest thing she had ever seen. She had no idea how to help him, and even worse – she had no idea what he had taken. Though Mindy originally had no intent of going inside, she knew she needed to figure out what he had taken and if there was any way to keep it away from him.

"I can take it from here," Drake mumbled, opening the car door. "Thanks for the ride."

"Uh, I'll come in," Mindy answered quickly, turning the car off and grabbing her purse in a fury. It was her turn to play detective.

After Drake had changed into his pajamas and Mindy made sure he was curled up on his sofa with a blanket, she took the opportunity to go through his pockets looking for a hint of what he'd taken. As she reached into the pocket of his jeans, her hand touched the bag. Scrunching her nose up in confusion, she reached in and pulled out the bag, seeing that it was filled with white powder. "Oh my god," she whispered, holding it away from her as if it were poison. "DRAKE PARKER!" Mindy stomped out into the living room, seeing that he was sitting on the couch practically vibrating.

"What?" he asked defensively, tapping his fingers on his knee that was bouncing up and down. He knew he hadn't taken anywhere near enough to deal with the wrath of Mindy Crenshaw, but this was something he most certainly hadn't been expecting.

"Cocaine? Cocaine? Do you know how dangerous that is? I knew you were stupid, but god, this is beyond belief!" She looked around the room for a garbage can, but soon wondered how to properly dispose of something like this. Mindy had never dealt with a drug so serious. At a loss for what to do, she tucked it into her small clutch, knowing Drake wouldn't dare go into her purse.

"So what?" Drake said nonchalantly, flashing her dark eyes. "I do a line of coke every once in awhile. It's not gonna kill me." He pointed at her purse sharply. "I'm gonna need that back."

She shook her head. "You're not getting it back. What else do you take?"

"Coke, pot, that's all."

"What else, Drake?"

"I told you, that's all."

Mindy glared at him, and he was sure it she had practiced her vicious lawyer stare countless times in the mirror until it was perfected. The truth of it was that she had, and she'd gotten it down to a science; she knew just how long it would take for someone to break. Five, four, three, two…

"Vicodin and Valium when I can get them." Drake said it like it was absolutely nothing, letting the names roll off his tongue.

Mindy's jaw involuntarily dropped in utter shock. "God. What the _fuck _is wrong with you? Do you want to get anywhere in life? Do you? Because you certainly can't go into the music business trying to be successful when you're so out of your mind that you don't even know where you are!"

"I'm perfectly fine!" He was still shaking as he said it and that scared Mindy.

"You tried to have sex with me," she hissed. "You stumbled your way out of that club – do you even remember that? Because I doubt you do. So, I drove you home."

"I remember that part," Drake mumbled, rubbing his head. "Your voice sounds so acidic in small spaces."

Mindy huffed and rolled her eyes. "You're a lost cause, Drake. I brought you home, and then you tried to have sex with me."

"I didn't do that."

"Yes, you did! You're too high to even remember what happened!"

"This must be a really bad trip." As he said it, he was sure that he was living in reality, but justifying all of this as a hallucination seemed easier to understand than Mindy Crenshaw actually standing in his living room and screaming at him about his drug use.

"You can't even tell what's real and what's fake anymore! Wait until I tell your brother! I know I haven't spoken to him in years, but it's worth it to tell him this!"

"Don't!" Drake yelled, holding his head as he felt the buzzing bounce around. "Don't you fucking dare, Crenshaw."

"Scared, are we?" she asked, a venom-filled smirk creeping its way across her delicate face. It baffled Drake how she could go from looking so innocently pretty to the spawn of Satan in only a few seconds. "The Mighty Drake Parker is scared of what his brother thinks?"

"You don't even fucking understand."

"Care to enlighten me then?"

"Like you'd listen."

She sat down in a chair across from the couch, leaning toward him and trying to look relaxed. "God, can you stop shaking?"

He looked at her with glassy eyes full of confusion, completely oblivious to the fact that he was virtually vibrating. Upon seeing the look of helplessness, Mindy shook her head and said in a softer tone, "then tell me what's going on."

Drake sighed and Mindy watched as his body visibly deflated. He sunk deep into the cushions as he began to talk. "Josh is a teacher. My parents are so proud of him because he got a job the second he got out of college. Everyone told him he wouldn't find work that fast, but he was sure he would, and he did. His students love him, and he's constantly being told how wonderful he is. I'm so happy for him, but…" Drake let his train of thought trail off. "Whatever. He's working on getting his master's now in some fancy science thing. Environ something…"

"Environmental science," Mindy explained, resisting the urge to roll her eyes and attempting to keep the sharpness from seeping into her tone.

"That's it," he said, pointing toward her as a way of thanking her for finishing his thought. "Megan just graduated from an Ivy League school top of her class, and she just got a job at some major corporation." Drake sighed as he realized who he was pouring out all his problems to; he wasn't sure why he felt so comfortable talking to her. "This must be really good coke because I have no idea why I'm telling you all of this."

"I asked. My fault for getting into the mess." She held her hands up in surrender and shot Drake a gentle smile. "Go on."

"So, Megan has that, and Mom and Dad are so proud of both her and Josh…and then there's me. At eighteen, I was supposed to be the pride of Spin City Records. I don't know what happened." Drake shook his head thinking about all that could've been.

"What do you mean?" Mindy asked, expecting to hear his sob story about how the record deal he had been promised back in high school fell through.

"My first record was a success. I had two hit singles off that one, bitch. Can't take that away from me."

Mindy almost laughed, but instead suppressed her desire to giggle with a smile. "Congrats."

"Yeah, but that was when I was eighteen. It's all over now. I'm twenty-six and a has been, I guess."

She sensed that he was leaving out important details. "Drugs?"

He had been avoiding eye contact with her, but quickly flashed his eyes toward her. "What about 'em?" Drake's fingers still nervously tapped the edge of the couch.

"When did you start using?"

"What are you im-imp-saying?"

"Implying."

"That."

"I'm implying that the drugs most likely wrecked your career. Is that what this is?"

"Does it really matter?" Drake asked her, a mix of anger and sadness clouding over his face. It was then she saw how broken he really was. "I'm what I am now. Doesn't matter how I got here because I can't change that. I'm a washed up whatever who gets recognized more often than you'd think, but still not enough, and gets attacked by paparazzi sometimes and that's the biggest ego boost I have. Oh, and they wanted me to go on Celebrities Underwater. I don't care how fucking irrelevant I am – I am NOT doing that shit."

"Did you screw yourself over, though?" Mindy tried, unable to believe that Drake had any ounce of fame at one point in time. She wasn't quite sure how she'd missed it.

He looked so vulnerable and confused as he tried to connect the story to tell her. "I got my hands on some pot once. It wasn't hard to get. Then some coke." He shrugged.

"You didn't have to take it, genius! You could've said no." Mindy shook her head at Drake's stupidity.

"I was nineteen, Mindy."

"I would've said no at nineteen."

"Do you want a fucking medal for being so perfect?" Drake raged. For the first time, he saw regret fill Mindy's eyes, and he wondered if she was hiding anything.

She shook her head. "I'm not perfect, Drake. Keep going."

Drake sighed again, his body still shaking due to the intake of coke. "When I was eighteen, it all seemed so simple. I thought I knew everything, you know? And I didn't. So, I signed with Spin City Records, Josh got me a new manager when he went off to college, and I was so excited about everything. I knew I was gonna make it big, and so did everyone at the record company. My first record, 'Makes Me Happy,' did so well, Mindy. 'Makes Me Happy' was the number one song on the charts, and I did a world tour…everyone wanted to hear my music. There's no better feeling than that…getting to do what you love and having people receive it so well! Then my second single was 'Leave It All Behind,' and it didn't do as well as 'Makes Me Happy,' but it still sold thousands of copies.

"Spin City wanted me to do another record, so I started writing stuff, but it became less and less about the music. They saw that people were really into me as an artist that they thought they could control me. I tried to fight back, but I guess it was a breach of contract or something. I talked to Josh about it, and he told me just to go with it and we'd figure it all out eventually. I would've broken away from Spin City at some point, but I didn't expect it to go like it did…

"They set me up with some mainstream writers, hoping that they could change the style of my music, and instead of making it better, they made my music worthless. It had no meaning, and I had no say. These guys were trouble, too. They were only a little older than me, but they had access to all different kinds of drugs, and by default, I did, too. I was reluctant at first, but I tried pot and wanted more pretty quickly, but I knew that was common in the world of drugs, so I didn't think much of it. Then they gave me coke, and I got addicted. I'm not a hardcore druggie, Mindy. I promise you that. I know they say that's denial or whatever, but I'm not as bad as you'd think. Yeah, I do drugs, but I don't need them every day to function. It's not like I'm snorting lines every five minutes. Once a week maybe, but not all the time.

"But that's beside the point. I got hooked, and we wrote some music. Spin City approved it all because they thought it'd be the next best thing, and it wasn't. My second album flopped and they dropped me. It was their fault, not mine. I was perfectly happy staying with what I was doing, but they didn't want me to. So, I told my family that I got dropped, but left out anything about drugs. They still don't know. Well, Megan might because that little bitch can find out almost anything." He laughed as he said it. "But really, they don't know. I always wanted to try to start my own record company, but that's not easy, so instead, I've been playing gigs around town for years hoping that someone will sign me again. I have a semi-loyal following, but nothing like it used to be."

"Wow." Mindy leaned back into the chair utterly stunned that Drake had just poured his heart out to her. She had no idea that he'd had it so rough. "The drugs, though – you can get cleaned up."

Drake shook his head before letting it fall back on the couch. "I got into shit. In hindsight, I probably shouldn't have, but now I get high to make life easier every so often. Josh has his students, Megan has her high power job, and I have my three fans and memories of what was."

"It doesn't have to be that way," she told him gently, reaching out and putting her hand lightly on his knee. "You can go to rehab or meetings or something and get things cleaned up. You can do something to help yourself and maybe then you can work out that record company. You can't keep playing victim; you can't be that stupid, Drake. You can fix it."

"I can't," he told her flatly, looking into her eyes.

"That's bullshit," Mindy spat, pulling away. "If you wanted help, you could get it, but I guess you don't want to do anything for yourself. You caused this, you can get out of this."

Drake groaned, his head feeling heavy as the buzz began to wear off. "I didn't take enough of this to deal with you. I need a better high than this."

"If you expect me to willingly fork the drugs back over to you, you're more delusional than I thought."

"Don't do me any favors."

"Drake Parker, you are infuriating!"

"If I knew what that meant, I'd probably tell you the same thing. Why are you even here, Mindy? Go home."

She shook her head and her hair fell into her eyes. She once again looked beautiful to Drake. "I'm trying to be a good person." Her voice was low.

"Well, I'll call the president and tell him to nominate you for the Nobel Peace Prize then!"

"You think I've had it so easy?" she yelled, standing up from the chair and grabbing her purse. "I've had it so far from easy. Do you think that I wanted to have all that pressure put on me back when we were in high school? Of course not! Because my parents decided when I was three that I needed to be the first woman president, I lost out on a normal childhood. I made the best of the hand that I was dealt, and did you think I was always happy? Why do you think I ended up in that institution, Drake? It wasn't the feud with Mrs. Hayfer that made me eventually crack!

"Every single night my parents would make me do hours upon hours of homework…when I was a freshman in high school, I was going on college visits and writing papers and not getting to hang out with my friends. I had no one in high school until I met Josh, and even though for a long time I treated him like shit, he was the best thing to happen to me throughout my entire high school career. I don't think anyone knows how badly that break-up cut me, well, until now, I guess." She ran a hand through her hair looking completely frazzled, yet relived to be getting all of it out. "It was the same thing in college. I went to Harvard, and my parents moved out there with me so they could stay on my ass. I made a few good friends in college, but my parents were just so dominating. Do you know why I came back to San Diego? Because they're not here anymore. Because I get to be a lawyer and I get to do what I love and I get to finally have some control over my life. When my mother calls me, I don't even answer the phone anymore. I let her leave a message on my voicemail because I don't want to talk to her. After all she did to me, she still thinks we're perfectly fine. How can anyone be fine after that? That's what I want to know!

"So, why am I here, Drake, why am I here? Because when I saw you walking out of that club, you may have been high, but you looked like you were about to break any second, and you still do. You look like you'll shatter into pieces at the drop of a hat. And why am I here? Because I wished someone would've noticed when I was about to shatter because no one ever did. So I'm here, trying to help you out and let you break if you need to. But if you don't want me here, I'll leave. You just don't get it." Mindy fiercely dragged her finger under her eye, trying to wipe away her tears and keep her make-up in tact. "I'll let myself out."

Drake heard her heels click on his hardwood floor and sighed. "Mindy, wait."

She clenched her jaw and turned around, crossing her arms tightly across her chest.

"You care?"

Mindy nodded, taking a step closer to the living room. "It doesn't matter how much time has passed or whether or not we were friends in high school. You're struggling, I'm here."

"Stay," he whispered, running his hand through his hair, trying to figure out why he was suddenly allowing the creature to stay in his house.

"Okay," she replied softly, setting her purse down on the table and sitting down on the couch next to Drake.

"I had no idea you went through all of that," Drake admitted, looking at her with sad eyes. He never knew the girl who had radiated an image of perfection and brilliance was actually a walking façade.

"You learn to keep things like that hidden," Mindy said with a soft shrug. "Pretending that nothing is wrong is better than having people ask you what's wrong all the time, although it would've been nice to have one person see through that act I always put on. I even fooled your brother."

"Easy target," Drake laughed, seeing a smile stretch across Mindy's face.

"I didn't know you went through all that, either. When I saw you on the street, I had you pegged as an addict. I didn't realize there was such a story behind it. With all I've been through, I'm surprised I never started drinking."

"Not once?"

"Never."

"You're more uptight than I thought."

"You're just as loose as I thought."

Before long, conversation turned into cuddling, and they were curled up together on the couch with her soft hair tickling his nose and his breathing slow and even against her neck. It did cross her mind that she was snuggled up against Drake Parker, the boy – now man – that she loved to hate all those years, and he realized that he was getting his comfort from Mindy Crenshaw, the woman he had previously looked at as a cold-hearted bitch. Neither of them made an effort to move after these realizations, however; Drake felt safer than he had in months, and while Mindy didn't want to admit it, she had been walking around for as long as she could remember feeling like a piece was missing – he made her feel whole.


	2. Perplexities Are Wonderful Things

**Decided I'd add a little more! :) I think I have an idea of where this will go, but I'm still trying to figure things out. Anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Mindy awoke the next morning without opening her eyes. She had a cloudy recollection of the night before due to her exhaustion; it only took a moment to remember where she was as the smell of musky cologne wafted to her nose, making her open her eyes with a grin stretching across her face. Drake was still sound asleep, hair messed and more stubble on his face than had been there last night.<p>

She closed her eyes again, not caring what time it was or about anything she needed to do that day; she wondered what had happened that had caused her mindset to change. They were still cuddled up together on the couch with Mindy's head resting on Drake's broad shoulder and his arm wrapped tightly around her. The world seemed to have stopped as they lied there; the strangeness of this unlikely pair added to the exciting newness of all that had happened.

Mindy hated to admit it, but once the initial biting conversation was over, Drake was enjoyable to talk to. She almost despised herself for thinking that he was such a great guy, but it was the truth. Before falling asleep, they'd spoken for hours; it got to the point where no subjects were off-limits, and she wondered when Drake Parker became the best person to spill all her secrets to. He had a great sense of humor, surprisingly, and he cracked jokes to make the darkest of moments a little brighter. He was also a fantastic listener, Mindy learned. He didn't have all the answers, but he listened to her go on half hour rants and did his best to help out; all of it scared her so. She wondered how they meshed so well. She wondered if it was the years of separation that had done it or if they always had but were too blind to see it. She wondered if her future would be spent lying in his arms like she was now. But most of all, she wondered if he felt the same.

Mindy attempted to push all those scary thoughts of the future out of her head and just enjoy the moment for what it was. She couldn't remember the last time she had been this close to a man, and the last person on earth she ever thought she'd be snuggled up with was Drake. All those years he was a presence in her daily life she assumed he was so _below _her; she found out that underneath the rockstar good looks and the ditsy persona, there was a genuine, funny, and amazing man.

Drake soon shifted, and Mindy almost felt upset that he'd soon awake and they would have to get up. She opened her eyes to see him blinking fiercely, adjusting to the sunlight that filled the room. "Hi," she whispered.

"Hi," Drake replied, kissing Mindy's forehead softly, sending a shiver down her spine as his rough stubble touched her face.

"Oh," she smiled, feeling herself get lightheaded with joy.

"What?" Drake asked, pulling away slightly to take a good look at Mindy.

"I just didn't realize we were to the point where kissing was okay." She felt like her walls had completely come down, and she was scared. She'd spent so much time putting walls up that it seemed strange to have them crumble. It started back in high school when she'd entered the mental institution. She didn't understand how it was Drake that made them come down so quickly and so easily.

"We shared a lot last night," he laughed, nodding his head to get his bangs out of his eyes. "I thought it was okay."

"I didn't say I didn't like it," Mindy admitted, leaning in closer to him and letting her lips fall on his.

The kiss was quick as Mindy pulled away faster than she had anticipated, trying to make sense of everything that was happening. It was all moving at a pace she wasn't ready for.

"We don't have to stop…"

"Too fast, Drake."

He nodded gently, not used to women turning him away; he wasn't opposed to having a proper relationship, but it was new to him. He always jumped in headfirst and had sex the second a woman would let him get close enough to undo the zipper on her dress. "Okay."

They lied in silence for a bit with Mindy severely over-thinking everything until Drake groaned. "Are you okay?"

"Mmhmm." Drake closed his eyes again, squeezing them shut.

"Headache?" Mindy guessed, not sure of what the aftermath of a coke high was. She was somewhat alarmed that she even needed to know now.

"Mmhmm."

"I have Aspirin in my purse, I think…" Mindy started to pull away, but Drake pulled her back to him, letting her head fall on his chest.

"No, just lay here." Drake rubbed her shoulder gently.

Mindy nodded into his chest, looking up at him. "Are headaches common after a coke high? I still can't believe you did that, Drake! What the hell is wrong with you?" She was trying to be calm, but it infuriated her that Drake thought it was acceptable to toy around with drugs. She understood possible experimentation in college or in younger years, but they were adults. Adults knew right from wrong. Apparently Drake had never learned. She was so used to everything being black and white, and Drake rested comfortably in the grey area.

He rubbed his temple in a circular motion. "Ugh, stop. Your whining is making my head worse! And yeah, they are, I guess. I get re…resomething headaches."

"Rebound," she told him, rolling her eyes. "God, you get them all the time and you don't even know what they're called?"

"I see the cold-hearted bitch is back."

"Drake." She smiled wryly, pulling away to look at him. "Whatever this thing was…if we're gonna make it work…if it was anything…was it anything…" Mindy stopped herself, letting her thought trail off. She was scared that he just saw her as another woman to keep him company so he wouldn't have to sleep alone; she knew there were many before her, and that almost tore her apart.

"I think it was something," he said softly. Drake was sure he'd felt some sort of spark; he had never felt that magic through conversation until the night before. The feeling always came after his tongue had been down a woman's throat or his pants were off and he was taking off a woman's dress. He'd never felt it based on personality alone.

Mindy let a slight smile appear across her face glad to know she wasn't alone in feeling that there was something there. "You have to stop with the drugs then. And tell your family. You're not that much of an idiot."

Drake groaned, and Mindy watched as his face slowly disappeared into hand. "Mindy…"

"If you want this to work, whatever _this _is, then you have to change."

The last time Drake was in a serious relationship was at least two years ago. He had been with his girlfriend for a little over a year when she decided she couldn't handle him anymore. He always went for insipid women with IQs far lower than his, but even they had a breaking point. He was left heartbroken and turned to drugs more than ever. Drake told Josh a bit about how much the breakup hurt him, but he mostly distanced himself, pretending he wasn't walking around with his heart ripped out just so Josh wouldn't find out about his drug use.

Drake had never been interested in a smart woman, but he knew that it would come with a cost. She'd be far more perceptive than his other vapid flings. It would be hard for him to hide if he did decide to use drugs though she had just told him not to; he wasn't sure if he was ready to change.

Mindy saw his facial expression change, and she assumed that he was pondering something. "Um, we can talk about this while I take you to go get your car," she suggested, reluctantly sitting up as he followed suit.

"Okay," Drake agreed, running his hand through his hair and smoothing out his shirt.

He wasn't sure if he was ready to sacrifice life as he knew it for a relationship he automatically assumed was doomed; this was the creature, after all.

* * *

><p>"Well, uh, thanks for everything," Drake told Mindy with a grin, unbuckling his seatbelt. He looked at her and watched as she brushed her hair out of her eyes.<p>

"Yeah, you, too," Mindy replied with a smile, letting the grin grow larger as Drake leaned in to give her a goodbye kiss.

The conversation they had didn't make much of anything clearer, but Drake admitted he was willing to try to become a better person. He said he'd try to tell Josh about everything, but he didn't know which would be harder to admit – the fact that he was on drugs or the fact that he was trying out a relationship with his ex-girlfriend.

Mindy handed Drake a small piece of paper with her number written on it.

"I'll call you," he said with a wink, opening the door and giving her a wave.

She waved feebly and watched him walk to his car via her review mirror, shaking her head at herself and her decisions. Mindy let out a wail, leaning her head into the steering wheel. She had seemingly stopped following her head and started following her heart, confused as to why it was Drake Parker that her heart had so easily surrendered to.

She just really hoped he'd call.


	3. The Call

**I wasn't expecting this part to go like this, but I had a random surge of inspiration, and I'm glad I did. ;)**

* * *

><p>The first time Drake called Mindy was nothing like she expected.<p>

All week long, she had waited and waited for her phone to ring. She looked through case studies with her phone lying on the table, darting her eyes toward it every so often as though she could make it ring through the power of her lawyer stare. She sent e-mails to coworkers with her phone sitting next to her in case it decided to ring. She went out with friends and kept her phone where she could easily get to it so she was prepared if Drake called. It never happened. When it had been ten days and he still hadn't called her, Mindy pushed the thoughts of their night out of her head and decided that it wasn't worth the effort of worrying. She stopped keeping her phone within arm's reach at all times and figured that she was just a warm body to keep Drake company for one night.

On the thirteenth day, her phone rang. Mindy was a light sleeper, and she assumed it was something that came with her profession; she spent many sleepless nights worried about testimonies she had to give and people she had to prove innocent. Sleeping wasn't her forte. The vibration of the phone against her nightstand was enough to wake her up, rolling over to see that it was 1:33. She blinked at the clock a few times in confusion before picking up her phone to see a number she didn't recognize. "Hello?" Mindy answered as her eyes fluttered closed.

"Hey, Mindy!" a male voice replied, sounding a little too cheery and a little too awake for the middle of the night.

"Drake?" she quipped, sitting straight up and noticing the bitterness creep into her tone.

"Yeah, heyyy, Mindy! Wanna come pick me up?"

"Where are you?"

"Remember that club you saw me at last week? There!"

"What the fuck is wrong with you? Are you high or drunk?"

There was a pause before a fit of giggles. "Drunk, high, what's the diff, Crenshaw? You comin'?"

"Give me ten minutes, and I'll be there. Don't do anything stupid. Oh, wait, like you'll be capable of that. Idiocy is your nature. Pretend you have half a brain until I get there."

"Whatever. Later, Min."

Mindy hung up and threw her phone onto her bed, burying her face in her hands. "Min?" she said aloud. "Min? No one calls me Min!" She was raging that Drake had called her like it was no big deal and spoke to her as if they were close friends. She had been anxiously waiting for him to call her, to let her know that he had thought of her, to let her know that he cared and was trying to change, and instead, she received a drunk dial during the wee hours because he wanted a ride. At least he knew enough to call her for that, she supposed.

Mindy sat in bed for a few more moments and tried to compose herself before getting up to change out of her pajamas. She'd waited for the time she'd see Drake again so she could go all out with her hair and makeup and impress him; she could feel herself reverting back to her teenage self, excited to get dressed up to go out with Josh. Her second meeting with Drake after the years that had passed wasn't ideal. Mindy threw on some sweatpants and an old sweatshirt before tying her hair back into a ponytail. Her face was barren of makeup, and she sighed, knowing there was no reason to try to gussy up; Drake was a hopeless case.

Mindy grabbed her car keys and headed to the door, wondering why she was even doing this. She knew that she should've let him suffer, but if he ended up getting in a fatal accident, she'd blame herself. She supposed that was reason enough to go.

She had one foot out the door when she realized there was something she should do – she grabbed the phonebook and frantically flipped through pages. Someone was going to get a surprise on their doorstep tonight.

* * *

><p>Drake smiled as he recognized Mindy's Lexus pulling up in front of the club. He clumsily made his way to the car and swung open the door. "Heyyy, Mindy!" he slurred, falling into the seat and closing the door with a slam, shaking the whole car.<p>

She glared at him icily, waiting for him to buckle his seatbelt before starting to drive.

"You're mad," he giggled, pushing her shoulder gently.

"Don't touch me," Mindy growled. She hadn't had nearly enough sleep to be dealing with him; she was irritated that this was how he reached out to her again. Not for a date…instead for a saving grace.

"Roar." Drake made a clawing motion in the air, laughing hysterically at himself.

Mindy shook her head, just focusing on driving; it was easier if she tuned him out rather than getting upset. As the silence ticked on, she was finding it harder and harder to keep her cool. "You were supposed to call me, Drake!" Mindy finally exploded, never taking her eyes off the road. "You were supposed to call me and tell me that you'd attempted to give up this up! And then you were supposed to possibly ask me out! Not call me to be your designated driver!"

"I was?"

"Yes!" Mindy sighed in frustration, realizing that she hadn't had anything even closely resembling a date in years and wondering if the meaning of 'I'll call you' had changed. It couldn't have, she realized. "No! I don't know! But I'm most certain that when you told me that you'd call me, I wasn't supposed to assume that you'd call me because you needed me to save your reckless ass!"

"Relax, Min."

"No one ever calls me Min! Would you stop it, Drake?"

"Someone put some extra spoonfuls of bitchy in their cereal this morning…"

"I think this would be easier for both of us if you'd just shut up," Mindy told him, her voice low. "I shouldn't have even come to pick you up tonight."

"But you did." She looked over at him, causing him to shrug and flip his hair as if he knew he radiated charm; just as he had been sure she practiced her vicious glare, she was sure Drake practiced how to lay on the charm as thick as possible. He had. There were pickup lines he'd said in front of a mirror, an artful way of flipping his hair, a way to stand that drove the girls crazy…you name it, he'd perfected it. Usually, girls fell for him the second he pushed his hair out of his eyes in that signature way he always did, and Drake wasn't sure why Mindy wasn't falling at his feet.

Mindy exhaled sharply and shook her head. "I assumed that if I didn't come, you'd do something stupid and end up dead, so for the rest of my life I'd be walking around with blood on my hands."

"That doesn't even make sense unless you were planning on murdering me."

"IT'S AN EXPRESSION!" Mindy raged, throwing her hands up in defeat. "Jesus Christ!"

Drake finally decided to take Mindy's advice and be quiet. He wasn't sure why she was so angry at him; promises meant nothing to him. They were merely words that slipped off his tongue like butter so he could easily please whoever he was with. Mindy, however, didn't know that; she assumed when someone said something, they meant it. She still wasn't fluent in the language of Drake Parker. He didn't understand why she was so angry that he didn't call. He would've gotten around to it eventually, whenever that was. He didn't know how long it would've taken him, but usually when he called a girl, even if it had been two months since he'd last seen her, she'd be clamoring to go out with him again; it baffled him that Mindy was less than happy to see him.

He let all those thoughts slide and the hum of the car on the road take him over. It took a few moments, but he suddenly realized Mindy most definitely wasn't taking him to his house. "Mindy, this isn't the way to my house," he said, sounding utterly confused.

She grinned viciously. "Nice of you to notice! You're right. I wasn't about to take you home!"

"Can't you just take me back to my place?"

"No. I don't know if you're destructive when alone."

"Can't we go back to your place then?" Drake pleaded. "Please?"

"You wouldn't want to deal with me all night or you'd have a splitting headache before the night was over after I ripped you one. I can guarantee that. I'm doing this to be nice to you, Drake. And if you plan on calling me again, I suggest you're sober when you do it."

He realized where they were going. "But Mindy…I can't…it'll…"

"Don't." She cut him off by holding up her hand and pulled into the driveway of a suburban ranch. It wasn't a big house, but even from the outside it looked homey. She turned off the car and pulled the keys out, shooting Drake a glare. "Come on."

"Mindy." He looked at her with sad chocolate eyes.

"Get your ass out of my car."

Drake let out a sigh that was full of desperation before unbuckling his seatbelt and getting out of the car. He closed the door and winced at the slam; the headache was starting to set in even without Mindy's help.

Mindy made her way to the front door with Drake sheepishly following behind her. She rang the doorbell and tapped her foot impatiently as she waited for an answer; she glanced at her watch to see that it was a little after 2AM. She wanted to feel slight remorse, but she couldn't knowing this needed to be done.

Josh opened the door with a yawn, running his hand through his hair that had been tangled with sleep. "Mindy?" he gasped in shock, turning on his porch light and squinting almost as if he was trying to see if it was really her.

"And Drake," she added, dragging him onto the porch by his jacket as he gave Josh a weak wave.

"What…what…why are you here?" Josh asked, knowing he hadn't been awake long enough to process what was happening.

"Your brother is high. You deal with him because I can't."

Josh's eyes widened as he shifted his gaze back and forth from Mindy to Drake. "How do you know? What are you talking about? What?"

"I ran into him a little over a week ago, and I drove him home because he was high. I got back to his place, and I found his coke stash. He's apparently pulled wool over your eyes for years, Josh. He called me tonight to pick him up. It's about time you knew and I'm sorry you had to find out this way, but there was no way this…delinquent was going to tell you any time soon. Sorry to bother you. Goodnight." Mindy took a long look at him before she stepped off the porch and headed back to her car. "Oh," she said, suddenly remembering something and turning around, "if you need to talk to me, Drake has my number."

"Thank you," Josh told her, adding softly, "good to see you."

"Um, dude, can I come in?" Drake asked Josh, giving him the puppy dog eyes that always made him crack.

Josh stepped aside and motioned Drake into his house. Never in his life had he felt so betrayed.


	4. The Truth Comes Out

"Hi, bro," Drake said nonchalantly, brushing his way past Josh who stood in the door way to get to the couch.

"Hi," Josh replied, still confused, shutting the door and taking a deep breath before turning around to face Drake. He was shaking just a little bit and his pupils were larger than normal, but he didn't understand how Mindy knew about the drugs when he didn't. "What was…why…Mindy?"

"I ran into her last week. You got any cheese doodles?" Drake asked, leaning back on the couch and hugging a pillow to his chest.

"No, I do not! You can't be dropped off at my house at 2AM by my ex-girlfriend and ask for cheese doodles and expect me not to be angry at you and let this all slide! What's going on? Did you sleep with her?"

He began to brace himself in case Drake said yes, and knowing his brother, he knew he'd probably enticed Mindy to get into bed with him, but knowing Mindy, she probably said no. He was torn between the two as he waited a long moment for Drake to respond. Josh and Mindy had broken up years ago, but she was his first love; a piece of him had never gotten over her as often happens with first loves, and the thought of she and Drake sleeping together ripped him apart. He knew that they were different people now, and he had a girlfriend he loved very much, but a small part of his heart still had Mindy's name written on it. He knew it was silly, but there was something about a first love that never left a person. When he saw her tonight for the first time in years, still looking beautiful despite the lack of sleep she wore on her face, he had an urge to talk to her and ask her about her life now. He hadn't felt that in years and it was scary; he had a girlfriend. A lovely, wonderful girlfriend.

He knew that there was no way he was still in love with her, but he was so confused as to why she and Drake had suddenly hit it off. They were such different people; in his head, he couldn't see any possible way that they would mesh. Couldn't Drake have told him he'd run into Mindy before she showed up on his doorstep at 2AM?

"No, I didn't sleep with her." Drake rolled his eyes.

Josh let out a long sigh; he hadn't realized he'd been holding his breath until that moment. "Then what the hell happened? Where did you see her? Why did you call her of all people for a ride tonight? Get your head out of your ass!"

"I ran into her when I was leaving a club, so she drove me home."

"Why would she say you're high? Were you? Are you right now?"

Josh was frantically pacing back and forth unable to sit down; that made Drake nervous. The reason he had never come clean about his drug use to his family was because he couldn't bear how disappointed they'd be in him. As much as his parents would be upset, it was Josh's reaction he dreaded the most. They were brothers. They were best friends. They remained close even as adults, and Drake should've been able to tell his brother anything, but he couldn't even think about how hurt Josh would be that Drake kept this a secret for so many years.

"Were you high and are you high right now? What didn't you understand, Drake?" Josh yelled, raking his hand fiercely through his hair.

"Yes to both."

"Fuck." It sounded especially harsh as Josh said it because he didn't usually swear. "Fuck."

"I'm sorry," Drake said softly, not knowing what to say, but knowing that most definitely was not enough.

Josh finally sat down in an armchair folding his hands calmly on his knee. "How long? How long have you been doing this?" He hoped that Drake would say only a few months, but a feeling in the pit of his stomach told him otherwise.

Drake gulped, feeling the guilt start to take him over. "Um, back when I was at Spin City…" His voice was beginning to shake as he spoke. He could see that Josh was doing his best to remain calm, but the vein on his neck was pulsing heavily.

"What do you take?" Josh asked through a clenched jaw.

"Um, coke and pot and sometimes Vicodin and Valium…" The look the clouded over Josh's face made Drake's heart ache.

Josh watched as Drake became smaller and smaller with every word he spoke. "Explain." Josh's voice was low and even.

It all came out at that moment. Everything Drake had told Mindy was put out into the open bit by bit – the failed record deal, the men who could easily supply Drake with drugs, the songs that had no emotion, the sinking feeling Drake felt as it all happened…everything. It wasn't as easy to confess all of it this time; he was fighting tears by the time he finished, letting a few spill down his cheeks.

"Oh my god," Josh said in disbelief, leaning forward in the chair and rubbing his face in his hands. "Oh my god."

"Don't tell Mom and Dad," Drake added softly, wiping a glistening tear from his face.

Josh laughed viciously, standing up and throwing his hands in the air. "We're not in high school anymore, Drake! We're _adults_! Do you think if I tell them you'll get grounded or something? You're not fifteen anymore! I know your life isn't going as planned, and I'm truly sorry for that, but god, this isn't the way to handle it! Grow up! I can't save your ass all the time like I used to. I just can't do it. I have my own issues and things I need to worry about for myself, so I can't take on all your shit, too!

"I know you say you're not a hardcore druggie – fine – but the fact that you do drugs says you need help! Go get help, Drake! Stop sitting around and hoping someone will come save you because it doesn't work that way! It doesn't work that way at all. I'll make a deal with you – if you promise me that you'll go get help and actually do it, I won't tell Mom and Dad. If you lie to me, I'm telling them and letting you fight for yourself."

"Okay." Drake had never seen his brother so angry. They had a huge falling out in high school where Josh didn't talk to him for a week, but he already knew that this was different. The hurt that clouded Josh's eyes cut Drake deep, and he was sure that it would haunt him for the rest of his life. Josh had given Drake many free passes when he didn't deserve them, and they both knew that. Drake was petrified that this was the breaking point; he couldn't bear to think of that. He didn't want to lose the only person who ever really understood him. "I'll get help."

"Why didn't you tell me before? Why didn't you think to tell me? I could've tried to help out so you wouldn't end up like you are now!"

Josh still wasn't sitting down, and the pacing was making Drake's stomach churn. He put the pillow over his face before letting out a long breath. "Because I knew it would hurt you. I didn't want to hurt you."

"Well, waiting eight years wasn't really the way to go about not hurting me!" Josh fumed. "How can you be so stupid? You're a fucking moron." The second Josh said that, he regretted it, but he wasn't going to apologize; he had nothing to apologize for. Drake, however, could say he was sorry for the rest of his life and Josh wasn't sure if even that would be enough.

"I know," Drake said gently, taking the pillow from his face. "I'll get help. Mindy said I need it, too."

"Why Mindy?" Josh questioned. "Why of all the people in the world was it Mindy? Are you just looking for good people to fuck over?" He didn't want Drake to hurt her. The part of his heart with Mindy's name etched in stone never wanted to see her hurt or upset, and Josh didn't even want to think about Drake possibly causing that pain.

"It wasn't a big deal. I swear, Josh, it's not like you think it was." Drake sat up and ran a hand through his hair nervously. He hoped that Josh would believe him when he said nothing happened, but after tonight, he wasn't so sure. "I was coming out of a club, and we crossed paths going to our cars. I talked to her for a few minutes and started to go, but she saw that I was high and said she'd give me a ride home. Then she ended up going through my shit – really, who does that? – and found my stash, and she spent the night."

"And you didn't sleep with her?" Josh's eyebrow was raised so high that it was barely visible.

Drake shook his head. "I'm telling you, man, I didn't. I tried. Honestly, I tried, but I didn't. We talked all night, and then she fell asleep on the couch with me. That's all. Nothing else happened."

Josh nodded, and Drake hoped that he knew he was telling the truth.

"I like her. I didn't think I would cause I know we always hated each other, but she's really nice once you talk to her for a little bit. I see what you saw in her."

Josh felt his heart tear a little as Drake admitted he liked Mindy, and he retreated back to the chair, averting his eyes to the floor. "Don't fuck her over."

"What?" Drake asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"That's what you do to every other girl!" Josh raged. "You decide they aren't good enough anymore and throw them to the wayside! Don't do this to Mindy! She deserves better than that!"

"You know that's not true, Josh! You know that Caroline left _me _and I was devastated! And that's when I turned to drugs the most and…"

"I don't want to hear it," Josh said dejectedly holding his hand up to halt Drake. He shook his head as he looked at his brother disappointedly. "I really can't take any more of this tonight. We can talk tomorrow, I guess. Goodnight." He snatched Drake's phone off the coffee table.

"Goodnight," Drake replied barely above a whisper as he watched Josh head up the stairs. He groaned as he buried his face in the pillow. He'd never meant to hurt Josh like this.

He heard Josh's bedroom door slam and winced. He'd never felt so alone.


	5. Key to the Past

**I felt like this needed to happen. I'm not sure why, but I thought it should:) I've been having trouble finding inspiration lately, and I'm going with the fact that it's because I was supposed to see Drake Bell this past Saturday, and the concert was cancelled...sheer depression! I think I'm slowly finding muse again...yay;)**

* * *

><p>Mindy's phone rang a second time that night a little after three. She hadn't been able to fall back to sleep and had channeled her second wind into researching cases. She looked at her phone strangely, seeing another unfamiliar number staring back at her. "Hello?"<p>

"Mindy I…I…I'm sorry about my brother."

A smile spread across her weary face. "It's fine, Josh." She knew she could always count on him to be the one to try to make everything right.

"No, it's not. I'm sorry." He sighed, and she thought he sounded like she'd been through a war. World War Drake, she was sure.

"It's my fault," Mindy replied honestly, taking her laptop off her lap and leaning back on the headboard. "I got myself into this mess. I didn't have to drive him home, and I did, so it's my fault. I deserve the backlash."

"How…just…"

She laughed a bit, and Josh imagined her nose scrunching up and her eyes starting to glisten, an image that was permanently engrained in his head. He loved making Mindy laugh. "I'm sure he told you, but I ran into him and he seemed a little off, so I offered him a ride home. We had a great night just talking about everything, and I gave him my number. I didn't expect him to use it like this."

Mindy could almost see Josh's face changing and jaw stiffening up at the mention of she and Drake having a "great" night. She had no idea that Drake had praised her; Josh wished he could handle this. "You…it was…great?"

Mindy smiled, satisfied that she still spoke Josh. "It was." She ran a hand through her hair before sighing. "Look, Josh, I know it's weird – I agree – but he was so broken when he started pouring everything out to me. He needed a friend, and I was the one who happened to be there. He told me he was really apprehensive about telling you – actually, not in those words. I believe he said he was 'absent' about telling you, but." They both laughed and it helped to lighten the moment. "I knew he wouldn't tell you, so I dropped him off tonight after he called. I had to. I know he needs help, and I know you don't deserve to be left in the dark anymore."

"Well, thanks, Mindy. Would you want…" Josh stopped before he could finish his thought. Whenever he got confused or flustered, he had a very hard time making coherent thoughts.

"If he gets cleaned up, then yes, I'd give it a shot," she admitted, quickly adding, "not until then."

Josh let a grin creep across his face as he let out a chuckle. "I can't believe you still understand me!" he laughed. "My girlfriend still gets confused sometimes!"

"I had a lot of practice," Mindy giggled, imagining Josh picking at his shirt like he always did when he wasn't sure what to say.

Sure enough, Josh was plucking threads out of the seam of his worn pajama shirt. There was a moment of silence and Mindy said softly, "are you okay?"

"Yeah," Josh answered, rubbing his head gently. "Yeah. About okay as I can be." He wanted to break down and ask her why Drake and why did she want anything to do with him and just why in general, but he couldn't, so instead he said, "thank you for asking."

"If you want to talk…"

"I don't, but I told Drake I'd tell our parents if he didn't do anything about all of this. He specifically told me not to tell them, I guess because he's scared or something, so you've got a good chance of him cleaning up even if it's only out of fear."

"Whatever works! Fear works well, I've found," she laughed, and Josh imagined her glistening brown eyes again.

"Oh, yeah, you're a lawyer now, right? I'd imagine you're pretty scary in a courtroom!" Josh told her.

"I've been told I am! Drake said you're a teacher?"

"Sixth grade science."

"Crazy how time flies…"

They went on to fill each other in about pieces of their lives; for a little while, they were two teenagers staying up all night to talk on the phone without their parents knowing. They were sixteen and carefree. They weren't dealing with any issues. And most of all, Josh was pretending he hadn't just learned about Drake's drug addiction and Mindy was pretending that her heart wasn't surrendering to Drake. They were still basically the same people, though they were a little wiser, a little more mature, and a little less quick to laugh. They recalled some of their craziest memories, laughing tear-inducing bellows thinking of the night Josh went to Mindy's house to get her back and ended up pulling her out the window with him mid-kiss. They chuckled thinking of the first time Mindy told Josh she loved him and he frantically replied with, "see ya in chemistry!" before slamming the door in her face, leaving her shell shocked. For a little while, nothing had changed.

In a way, Josh was so glad Drake had run into Mindy simply because he could reconnect with her. Mindy shared that feeling; while they did date, they were each other's closest friend. They had a bond like no other. It was comforting to know the years hadn't caused that special connection to fade.

A little after 4AM, they decided they should both get going and attempt to get some sleep. "It's been nice talking to you, Josh," Mindy told him with a smile on her face. "I hope Drake gets some help."

"Nice talking to you, too, Mindy. Yeah, thanks. For both your sake and mine."

"I think Drake and I could be really great together." Mindy wasn't quite sure why she said it, but it slipped out seemingly beyond her control. She hoped Josh was okay with it; even though it was years ago they dated, she still wished for his approval.

Josh hesitated, but he couldn't let old feelings get in the way of newfound friendship. "Yeah," he said. "You would be."

"Was that a blessing, provided Drake stops with the coke?" she asked, and Josh pictured her with eager brown eyes searching for an answer.

"If he does, go for it," Josh laughed.

"Well, thanks." Mindy smiled to herself. "We should do lunch."

"I'd like that."

"Goodnight."

"Night."

Mindy hung up and smiled, letting her head fall to the pillow. She loved reminiscing with Josh. When Josh hung up, a grin was stuck on his face. Every so often, it was nice to live in the past. The present wasn't always so wonderful.


	6. Will I Lose My Dignity?

**I have had the biggest issue with this chapter and I have no idea why. I've been working on it for at least two weeks now, and I finally decided I just need to finish it, post it here, and get it off my hands, haha. I'm not completely happy with it, but it's done now, and that's what matters!**

* * *

><p>Drake walked into the meeting and internally panicked as he saw chairs lined up in rows. It reminded him too much of school, and that made him want to flee as quickly as he possibly could. He was about to make a beeline for the door when Josh's harsh words entered his head. Daily, Josh saying, "you're a fucking moron" sat in the back of his mind plaguing him every so often. Drake then thought of Mindy and sighed, reluctantly walking in the room and sitting down in a chair, slumping down and avoiding eye contact. He was told he needed help, so he was getting it.<p>

Drake looked around and wondered exactly why everyone else was there. He was sitting next to a woman with thick rimmed glasses and killer red heels. He guessed that she liked to use heroin on weekends and it eventually turned into something more. In front of him was a large man in a plaid shirt with a bushy beard. Drake decided that he was addicted to meth secretly, but the truth had recently come out. A kid no older than seventeen sat across the room with a hat pulled over his eyes and his hands shoved into his sweatshirt pocket. Drake knew the kid's parents had sent him; the kid wasn't there because he wanted to be. He looked like Drake felt. Other interesting characters slowly filed their way in as it got closer to the time the meeting started, and Drake sank lower and lower as he felt their glares burning his skin.

The meeting started when a dark haired man in his mid-thirties appeared at the front of the room with a smile so bright it made Drake squirm. "How is everyone today?" he asked, overly cheery. Scattered answers filled the room, and Drake rolled his eyes. He didn't belong there. He tuned out the man's rambles by thinking about how he just had to suffer though an hour of this shit without saying anything and he could go home, telling both Josh and Mindy that he took their advice and got help.

Drake snapped back into reality hearing the man say, "And you, sir! In the brown jacket! You're new! Hi! Introduce yourself! I'm Mark."

"Me?" Drake quipped, pointing at himself and looking desperately for another person wearing a brown jacket. All eyes were on him as he realized he was indeed the only one.

"Yes, you! Stand up and introduce yourself!" The smile on Mark's face was so fake it was almost alarming.

"Uh, oh, no, I'm…I'm good," Drake told him with a wave of his hand. "Thanks, though."

"We can't help you if we don't know anything about you!"

"I don't want help," he grumbled under his breath, standing up and brushing off his jeans nervously.

"What was that?"

"I said hi, I'm Drake Parker."

"Hi, Drake," the group said in eerie, dry unison that made his heart pound.

"What brings you here today?" Mark quizzed, fake smile never faltering.

Drake gulped, having no clue what to say. He didn't want to reveal too much, but he knew he couldn't get away with saying nothing. "My brother. Well, you know, he told me I should get help. And so did a girl I'd like to be with. So, I'm here."

Mark nodded knowingly, and Drake saw a few people around the room giving him sympathetic eyes. "Why would they tell you to come?" His voice was so calm that Drake wanted to punch him – anything to slap the stupid grin off his face.

"Because I get high every once in awhile."

"On what?"

"Coke."

A few people nodded, and Drake noticed the woman in front of him with deep blue eyes give him a knowing smile. "So, you're an addict, Drake?"

"No."

"We can't help you unless you admit you have a problem."

"Say you do or we'll be here all night," the woman with the killer heels offered as a helpful hint.

"Yeah, sure, I am, whatever," Drake replied, giving the woman a strange look before plopping back down into his chair.

The grin grew even larger, making Drake seethe; he despised fake people. He dealt with enough of them by being in the music industry for the few years he was. "Good. We can't wait to help you. Welcome, Drake."

He scowled, hoping that was the only time he'd have to talk during this meeting. He'd already revealed way more than he'd intended and not because he wanted to.

"Okay, let's share our stories this week. Who wants to start?" Mark's eyes darted toward the troubled looking teen in the corner. "Jimmy, do you have a story this week?"

Drake watched as Jimmy shifted uncomfortably, all eyes turning toward him. "Yeah, uh, it was a bad week." His voice was deeper than Drake expected. "I sold my little brother's bike to get money for heroin." Drake felt his eyes widen as the boy continued to talk. "Yeah, my friend found a new dealer, and I haven't had anything in awhile, I swear, guys, and he was there and he had good heroin, like, really, really good heroin, and I had no money and my brother's bike…and…and…and I told him it got stolen…and he…he…he…he was so upset, but, like, I couldn't help it, and I realized after I'd done it that it wasn't worth it, and yeah, and I feel horrible about all of it, and next week…I just want next week to be better." He sat down quickly, rubbing his palms together nervously.

"Thanks, Jimmy," Mark told him gently, mega watt smile remaining on his face.

Drake rubbed his brow lightly, trying to process the story he'd just heard from someone so young. He thanked god that he hadn't done anything like that when he was Jimmy's age or he'd be far worse off now. He had never done anything that awful in his life, actually, and he didn't think he could ever forgive himself if he did; he knew Josh would end up forgiving him, though it would cut him like a knife to do so. He didn't want to go to rehab, but the last thing he wanted was to end up like Jimmy. Drake was so lost in his thoughts that he hadn't realized the man in front of him was now telling his story.

"I almost caved this week," the man was saying in a gruff southern accent. "I almost broke out the liquor when I was fightin' with the wife. It was a bad fight." He shook his head at the recollection, and Drake sat up a little straighter in his chair. "We used to fight all the time, but it's been alright since I stopped the drinkin'. I don't even 'member what we was fightin' 'bout, but I almost cracked the lock on that damn cabinet." He let out a hearty chuckle. "Sure as hell glad I didn't. Haven't had a drop in seven months and countin', and the wife and I barely fight anymore. Couldn't throw that all away over one fight and the urge for some bourbon." He sat down wearing a proud smile on his face.

"Thanks, George," Mark grinned, searching for his next "victim" to make spill their story from the week.

Drake sighed heavily, slowly feeling himself being scared into going to rehab. He didn't want to constantly fight with Josh and Mindy because of his drug use. He didn't want to end up like Jimmy who had gone so far out of control that help was more of a last resort; he wanted to be like George, smart enough to stop himself and not want to turn back. It took a second to notice that the woman sitting beside him was now standing up, explaining what her week had been like.

"My ex called," she said, fixing the strap on her dress nervously. "My ex was my dealer. I was only with him because he could easily get a hold of good drugs." She laughed and it sounded like sorrow. "I was stupid, but I got away. So, anyway, he called me, and I almost went back to him. I was with him for two years, and he was pretty abusive, but I could've gotten away earlier if I wanted to, and I didn't because he could get me whatever I wanted. He'd only do it if I stayed with him. He told me he'd just gotten some good stuff, and I was this close to going to his place." Her thumb and index finger were touching as she said "this close." She sighed and ran a hand through her hair; Drake couldn't help but wonder if she was nervous to tell this story. "I didn't go. I'm glad I didn't go. I almost did. I had my keys in my hand and was going toward the door when I realized it was stupid to throw everything away. It was my niece's birthday party yesterday." She smiled. "I got to be the cool aunt. If it had been a year ago, I wouldn't have been allowed to be there. I'm so happy I didn't go." She sat down quickly, smoothing her dress out as she did.

"Thanks, Angelica." Mark scanned the room.

Drake was completely lost in his thoughts; there was no way he wanted to be Jimmy. His eyes had been opened and he'd learned that you could escape addiction. It might not be an easy path, but it could be done. He just wanted to leave and run to talk to Josh, Mindy – someone.

Once the meeting finished, Drake slipped out as quickly as he could without saying a word. As he walked to his car, his head was flooded with thoughts; he didn't want to end up like Jimmy or George or Angelica who needed this group to get by, even if it was just to vent. He got behind the wheel and felt a tear run down his cheek. He needed help.


	7. One Step Forward

**Sorry it took so long to update! I had a bit of trouble with this chapter as well, but I finally got there:)**

* * *

><p>As Drake got in the car and started driving, he didn't know where he was going. He just knew that he needed to <em>go. <em>Anything to get as far away from that meeting as he could. Anything to assure himself that he wouldn't turn into those people. Anything to tell himself that he could get better, get Mindy, and get Josh to the point where he wasn't waiting to wring his neck. He wanted to talk to someone, and he knew that at this point, Josh was probably his only option. Drake wanted to see Mindy, but he was sure she wouldn't want to see him after the recent fiasco. Before long, Drake found himself pulling into Josh's driveway, confused as to why he was even there; he knew Josh was still angry at him, too.

Drake pulled the keys out of the ignition, taking a deep breath before getting out of the car. He walked up to the porch and rapped his knuckles on the door waiting anxiously for Josh to answer.

Josh, who had been grading papers, was startled by the noise. He tucked his favorite red pen behind his ear before walking to the door and peering through the peep hole. He was shocked to see that it was Drake standing there, rocking back and forth nervously on his feet.

Drake had internally rehearsed what he was going to say to Josh once the door was opened, but his practiced word went out the window when, "You win, I'll go" slipped out of his mouth without much thought.

"What?" Josh asked, motioning Drake in without a hint of reluctance.

"I, uh, went to that meeting thingy like you said. I tried like you and Mindy said I should, and it was scary." Drake sighed and rubbed his head. "I don't want to end up like the people there. They were…I don't want to be like them."

Josh suppressed the knowing smile that threatened to creep onto his face. "Good," he said, patting Drake's shoulder lightly. "I'm so glad. Scary what you can end up being, isn't it?"

Drake nodded, sitting down on the couch. He wished that Josh could've seen the people that had scared him into wanting to stop his addiction. The stories they told were far worse than anything he'd ever done or been through. "Shitload of papers," he observed, pointing toward the large pile that sat on the table.

"Welcome to my life," Josh laughed, sitting down in a plush armchair across from his brother. "It's not bad, though. I love doing that stuff just like you love doing music."

"Used to," Drake corrected. "I liked music a hell of a lot more the people at Spin City decided to fuck it up for me." He still wrote music and played shows, but not like he used to. It was like the fire inside him was gone.

Josh sighed, having momentarily forgotten about the story that Drake had told him just days ago. He couldn't imagine someone ruining another person's passion; he couldn't even fathom how empty Drake must've felt. "If you get clean, maybe you can start over."

Drake laughed, happy that Josh had faith in him, knowing the harsh reality of the music business; at twenty-six, it wasn't likely that he could make a triumphant return. The world didn't work that way as much as he truly wished it did. "Ha, I doubt it."

"You'd have a better chance."

That Drake couldn't argue with. While he'd be competing with fresh faces who were ready to be molded to fit the charts, something he had never done, he'd have a higher chance of success if he was sober. He shrugged before brushing off the subject by saying, "God, bro, those people at the meeting tonight were scary. Thank fuck I'm not that bad."

"Were they really that bad?" Josh asked, trying to comprehend the stories his brother could've heard.

Drake ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know if it was so much that they were horrible or just that I don't want to be like that. I don't know where to go or what to do to get help exactly, but I'll do it."

Josh nodded, happy that Drake was finally making an effort. Drake did little to help himself; he was stubborn and barely listened to what anyone else had to say. It was about time he did something for his own good. "I'll help you find somewhere," Josh told him with a gentle grin.

"Thank you," Drake said, relieved that Josh was willing to help him. There was no way he could do this alone. "Um, can you call Mindy?" he added quietly, feeling slightly guilty for even asking. "I'd do it, but I'm sure she's still pissed at me from the other night. Tell her I'm sorry and I'm going somewhere?"

"Yeah, bro." Josh knew that this would give Mindy hope that her relationship with Drake could work out. He hoped that Drake wouldn't hurt her being so acutely aware of his brother's past history. "I'm sure she'll be glad to hear you're helping yourself."

"I hope so. I'm sorry if it's awkward for you, man, but I really do like her."

"Yeah." Josh cleared his throat. "You have to call Mom and Dad, though."

"Josh! Can't you do it?" Drake moaned, his brown eyes becoming so large and pleading that it was almost impossible to say no. Josh didn't understand how Drake was capable of doing that; it was like he knew exactly how to pull on his heart strings. He'd been able to do it since they were teenagers, and it baffled Josh each and every time.

"You have to do it. You have to be an adult," Josh said firmly, surprising himself with his resistance.

Drake shot Josh a look full of sadness and nerves.

"But I'll help you every step of the way."

"Thank you," Drake said with a smile. "Hug me, brotha?"

Josh grinned and stood up as Drake did and threw his arms around his brother. "It'll all be okay."


	8. See How Deep the Bullet Lies

Drake stirred his drink nervously with a straw, waiting for Mindy to arrive at the café. His stomach was churning as he kept looking around hoping to see that she was there. He had been out of rehab for only a few days, and this was the first time he was going to see her since calling her to take him home two months ago. He was scared; he was petrified she wouldn't want anything to do with him, the spark would be lost, and they'd be two ordinary people.

Mindy walked in, looking around anxiously for Drake. She wasn't sure what to expect; Josh had told her that Drake had gone to rehab, but she really had no idea what she was going into. She hoped that he had gotten better and done something for himself. She spotted him, and a shaky grin crept across his face as he waved to her. Mindy felt a smile form as she headed to the table. "Hi," she greeted him, sitting down and studying him. His hair was shorter; it didn't fall in his face quite as much as she remembered, and the hard edge he'd had about him seemed to have vanished. His eyes seemed kinder, more understanding, and he was looking at her like he'd just seen her for the first time.

Drake had just seen her for the first time – he was looking at her through sober eyes. "Hey," he replied, unable to wipe away his smile. Drake took a moment to study her, too. Her hair was a different color, more red, maybe, he decided, and her smile was a little brighter – not as hurt and as dark as he'd remembered her grin being the night she dropped him off at Josh's. "How have you been? You look great." He wasn't sure what to say; the conversation that had previously flowed so easily was at a halt.

"Oh, thanks. You look great, too. I've been good," she said with a nod, running a hand through her hair that Drake was sure was redder than it had been. "What about you?"

"I'm better now, Mindy," Drake assured, looking into her eyes. "Forty two days sober, to be exact." Days used to melt together for him, but now he was acutely aware of every passing second.

Mindy grinned, but she didn't look happy, and Drake couldn't figure out why. He shook the feeling off when she told him, "I'm so glad, Drake. I'm so glad you finally got help."

"It wasn't easy."

"Josh said going to one of those meetings made you crack?"

"Yeah."

A smug, "I told you so" expression colored Mindy's face. She was about to speak when a waitress came over. "Can I get you something to drink?"

"A chai latte," Mindy ordered. "Thank you." The waitress nodded and walked away. "But whatever the reason, I'm glad you decided to get help."

"Me, too." Drake couldn't stop smiling as he realized that his relationship with Mindy was a reality now. They could make it work. They could become something. They could leave their past behind and start anew. They could start a life together. "And I did a lot of thinking when I was there…"

Mindy tucked a short strand of hair behind her ear and folded her hands on the table. "About what?"

"Us."

"Oh, Drake, before you get into that, you should – "

"No, me first," he laughed. "Pretty sure you got to do all the talking last time, so by default, can it be my turn now?"

Mindy chuckled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "I guess."

"It was weird. Like, you see that shit on TV about those places, and it's not like you'd think. They make it sound like Lindsay Lohan goes to some luxury hotel for rehab, and it's not like that…it's white walls and it's...prison…"

"I'm not saying it's the same, but I'm pretty sure I can relate better than anyone." She grabbed his hand across the table and gave him sympathetic eyes. "The institution, remember?"

"Oh, that's right," Drake answered, squeezing her fingers gently for comfort. "But yeah, it fucking sucks. And they search you like you're a two year old. There's not much trust happening there. I was so glad to leave. I thought about you a lot, you know, and I was –"

"Here's your latte!" the waitress said cheerily, placing the mug down in front of Mindy.

"Thanks." Mindy was glad the waitress had interrupted; she wasn't sure if she was ready to hear what Drake had to say. At least that bought her a few seconds.

"Can I get you any cream?"

"No, this is fine. Thanks," Mindy told her with a smile, watching as the waitress scurried away.

"Well, I…" Drake sighed, having lost his train of thought. "My guitar was my best friend."

"Did you get your muse back?" Mindy asked happily, taking a sip of her coffee and hoping to get off the subject of them being together.

Drake nodded with a grin. "It took long enough! I finally had inspiration to write, and it was just…it was so awesome to feel like music matters again."

"I knew Spin City couldn't take your love away forever," Mindy retorted knowingly, her nose scrunching up as she smiled at him. She squeezed his hand, realizing that their fingers were still intertwined.

"I didn't really have any inspiration before." He looked down at the table with a bit of a smile. "There was nothing that made me want to write. The songs I wrote, Mindy…they're for you," Drake said, looking up with a bit of reluctance, but staring into Mindy's deep eyes.

"For me?" She pulled her hand out of Drake's grasp in confusion. "You wrote songs for me?"

He nodded, drumming his fingers lightly on the table. "I mean, I wrote a few, and they're not the best or anything like that cause I am kinda out of practice, but for being a little rusty…" Drake laughed mid-thought. "They're not half bad!"

"Drake…"

"I want to play them for you sometime."

His grin was so broad, full of light, and brimming with childlike excitement that Mindy had no idea how to say no. "That would be _lovely_," she told him, swallowing hard before taking another sip of her drink. "I'd love that."

Mindy then changed the subject as quickly as she could, trying to avoid all conversation about what they could become as a couple. She told Drake about the things that were happening in her life – she'd won a few cases that were extremely difficult, and she was so proud of herself. Her boss had been very happy with her work, too, and that was an added bonus. Drake told Mindy about the interesting characters that he'd met while in rehab and how happy he was to be out; he was beyond ready to start over. He told her about how great it was to be writing more songs and how he hoped to try to resurrect his career thanks to the seed Josh had planted. The conversation flowed so easily, and they were suddenly back to the first night they had reconnected, spilling secrets and catching each other up on lost time.

"Mindy," Drake finally said, pushing away his third glass of Coke – he was far too nervous for actual food – "when are we gonna talk about us?"

Mindy looked down into her second latte – she'd switched to decaf – and cleared her throat. "I guess I inadvertently changed the subject."

"You changed it very vertantly!" Drake declared, sounding impressed with himself that he'd thought of such a quick comeback.

"I what?" Mindy asked, eyebrows perking up in confusion. She wanted to laugh, but she saw the triumph that seeped onto his face; she thought laughing at his expense would've been cruel though it was her initial reaction.

"You know what I mean. You don't want to talk about what's going on with us."

She sighed, taking his hand across the table again. Everything about it felt so right but so wrong. "Drake…"

"Is it because of Josh?" he quipped, looking at her with wide, curious eyes. "Because if that complicates things…I can talk to him because that shouldn't get in the way of us."

"No, that's not it."

"And if it has to do with you being worried that I'll go back into drugs, I promise I won't. It's a struggle, but I won't. I'd never do that to you."

Mindy shook her head and pressed her lips into a thin line. "That's so sweet of you, and I know you won't go back into all of that; I'm sure you'll work very hard at staying clean. But…"

"What's wrong? Is there something you're not telling me?" Drake felt his stomach begin to churn and his heart begin to pound.

"I have a boyfriend."

He barely heard her over the sound of his heart shattering.


	9. How Can You So Easily Go?

**Thank you guys so much for the reviews on the last chapter. Means a lot! :) The next one will be the last. Hope you like this one!**

* * *

><p>Drake found himself driving again. He was driving to get away from everything, to leave that café, and to leave that experience behind him as a distant memory. He couldn't believe all that had happened; he wanted to crawl in a hole and die. He and Mindy were supposed to be together. She wasn't supposed to have found someone new. It wasn't supposed to work like that. It was supposed to be a perfect fairytale ending – what had he done wrong? It had to have been him, right? No, it couldn't have been him. It had to have been Mindy being insensitive and telling him that they could make it work when she had no intention of trying. No, maybe it was him. He didn't have a clue. He just knew that it was all screwed up when it shouldn't have been. It should have been easy, not hard.<p>

He'd asked Mindy about her boyfriend just so he wouldn't seem like a complete jerk; he knew listening to her talk about him would crush his heart even more, but it was the right thing to do. His name was Sam, and he and Mindy had been dating for a month. She showed Drake a picture of the two of them together and looking at him made Drake's skin crawl. He was everything Drake wasn't – a clean shaven blonde with a college education and a steady job. Drake understood why Mindy was with Sam because he seemed far more her "type" than he did, but he didn't understand why Mindy didn't wait. Why she didn't want to give them a chance. Why she jumped in so quickly.

"I met him when he joined the firm," Mindy had explained. "He was so sweet, and when we met, we had an instant connection. He asked me out. I couldn't turn him down because he was just trying to get to know me, and besides, I couldn't really say, 'oh, I can't; I'm waiting for someone who's currently in rehab but will be out soon.' It sounds like a cop out, even if it's the truth! I told him yes with every intent of that being the first and last date…I planned to go out with him, have a few drinks, have a nice conversation, then tell him we should just be friends, but Drake, it didn't work that way. We hit it off right away." She had smiled, but once again, she didn't look happy. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

Drake tried to shake her words off, but they kept circling his head. He wasn't supposed to end up alone after all of this; he was supposed to leave rehab and have someone waiting for him. He'd never felt this way about anyone before, and now he was getting punished for finally feeling something at all. He realized he was on the familiar path to Josh's and sighed as he pulled into his brother's driveway still trying to clear his head. He knocked on the door absently and walked right past Josh when he opened it.

"Um, hello to you, too, bro," Josh said, closing the door and watching as Drake shuffled to the couch looking like a puppy with his tail between his legs.

"She has a boyfriend."

"She what?"

"She ha-" Suddenly, it hit him. Drake knew that tone, and Josh watched as his brother's facial expression changed. He stood up fiercely, pointing at Josh yelling, "You KNEW! You knew, Josh! Why the fuck didn't you tell me? I made an ass of myself because I thought she was single! God damn it."

"I…"

"I can't believe you!" Drake fumed, watching at how small Josh suddenly became. "Why wouldn't you tell me that? I go to see her trying to make a move on her and trying to get her to be my girlfriend, and she's already moved on! What the fuck, Josh, what the fuck?"

"Drake, you've gotta let me explain."

Drake raked a hand angrily through his hair, sitting down on the couch and crossing his legs. "It better be a fucking good explanation."

Josh sighed, sitting down next to Drake and turning to face him. He'd never seen Drake so upset over a girl; he'd been torn over his ex Caroline, but this far surpassed that. Drake looked like his heart had been ripped out of his chest. "She told me not to tell you," Josh said, seeing fire appear in Drake's eyes, making it clear that it was not an acceptable excuse to him. "She said she wanted to tell you herself. You'd never forgive her if you found out from me, Drake. Hate me for not telling you. Don't hate her."

After a long pause, Drake said, "I couldn't hate you, and I definitely couldn't hate her." He sighed, still trying to process everything. It confused him that Josh and Mindy had reconnected; he just couldn't fathom being friends with your ex. How was it possible? How did old feelings not get in the way? They were obviously talking more frequently now, and he wondered why he was left unaware, but knew that was the least of his worries now. "If I hate anyone, it's fucking Sam."

"He's innocent," Josh reminded him, attempting to be the voice of reason but knowing it would fall on deaf ears. He knew exactly how Drake felt; it was the same feeling that came over Josh when he watched Mindy flaunt her cousin Chad. Of course he hadn't known that Chad was her cousin when he was seething with jealously, but he knew how horrible that feeling was. Mindy had a way of casting a spell over men though she didn't know she did it.

Drake shook his head with a sigh. Deep down, he knew that Sam was innocent, but the rational part of his brain was clouded with severe anger and hurt. In a matter of a few moments, a man he'd never met or even seen in person had become enemy number one. He knew he shouldn't hate him, but he couldn't help it.

Drake liked Mindy because she was so different from him – and everyone else he'd liked for that matter – and he assumed that Mindy felt the same about him; they were the perfect example of how opposites attract. Drake felt stupid having thought that Mindy would actually wait for him. He knew she was an amazing woman who deserved the best of the best. He wasn't blind to that, but he wished that he'd been given a chance.

"It's just that Sam…" Drake stopped himself.

"What?"

"Of course Mindy wants him. He's better than I could ever be," Drake said dejectedly as his whole body deflated.

Josh patted Drake's shoulder lightly in an attempt to comfort him. "You're a great person, too, Drake. She'd be lucky to have you." Somewhere in saying that, it occurred to Josh how bizarre it was that he was telling his brother that his ex would be privileged to date him, but he shook the feeling off knowing how much Mindy had come to mean to Drake.

"I can't compete with him, Josh. He's a lawyer who's really smart and way more in her league than I am. How can I compete with that? I'm a struggling musician who just got out of rehab. Seriously?"

"When has that stopped you before?" Josh asked. "You're Drake Parker. When do you give up on getting a girl so easily? Never."

"I made an ass of myself. She's not even interested, and I told her I wrote songs for her." Drake rubbed his face in his hands, wondering how he could ever face Mindy again. "Dear god."

"That's it!" Josh exclaimed, snapping his fingers and jumping up from the couch.

"What is?" Drake looked up at his brother confused by his sudden outburst of enthusiasm.

Josh smiled, thrilled with the brilliant plan that sprung to mind. "What have you been telling me since we were fifteen?"

"Doing homework is pointless?"

"That girls dig guys who play guitar!"

"Yeah…"

Josh's grin was getting larger by the passing second.

"…and I have no idea where you're going with this."

"Dude, go play her the songs you wrote!"

Drake perked up and a smile began to form on his face – he hadn't thought of that. Girls couldn't resist his charm when he played his music; for some reason, girls fell at his feet once he was behind a guitar, but Mindy was different. She wasn't a vapid fangirl, she wasn't a groupie, and she wasn't easy – she was intelligent, strong, and opinionated which Drake wasn't used to. It wasn't that he was opposed to someone like her, but he just didn't know how she worked. "I don't know man…"

"What'll it hurt?" Josh quipped. Drake was about to speak when Josh continued, "I'll tell ya! Nothing! It won't hurt anything!"

Drake shrugged. "Do you really think it'll help something?"

"It might do something, it might do nothing, but you've gotta do it, Drake. Go for it. Go to her place and play her a song. Go get her back."


	10. I Owe What I Am to You

**This is it! Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing. It means a lot:) I think I might end up doing what jaded river hussie has done and eventually make a new story that's a bunch of drabbles I post every so often as I don't usually write long fics.**

**Lyrics used in this are from Drake Bell's song "I Need You Now."**

**Thank you all again. Hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I did writing it! :)**

* * *

><p>A week after his "date" with Mindy, Drake stood nervously outside her door clutching his guitar case tightly in his hand. He was dressed up as far as Drake Parker standards went – he wore black pants, a blue dress shirt, and a black jacket. All these years later, he still didn't do ties.<p>

He held his hand up to the door, bracing himself to knock, but he instead let his knuckles hover a few inches away. Taking a deep breath, Drake knocked on the door and waited for what seemed like an agonizing eternity before Mindy appeared. Her jaw dropped a little upon seeing Drake standing before her, but internally, she was thrilled he hadn't decided to let her get away. She wanted to see him so badly, but didn't know how to approach him. Now that he was standing at her door, she didn't know what to say. "Drake," she said gently. "Come in."

Drake smiled as he walked into her house, looking around. It was a nice place – prim and proper with lots of white furniture…very Mindy. "Hi."

"Do you want coffee or something? I can make you coffee. Or tea. I have tea. Um, I guess I'm unsure as to why you're here, though, Drake, especially since you're holding your guitar and one doesn't usually tote their guitar around unless there is some sort of purpose." Drake had never seen Mindy act so erratic, and he could feel her tension slowly making him more and more nervous. He watched as Mindy took a breath and ran her hand through her hair. "Why are you here?"

"I don't want coffee, but thanks," Drake laughed, trying not to sound as nervous as he was. "And the guitar…well, I told you I wrote songs about you."

"I don't need to be serenaded, but thank you," Mindy told him gently, motioning Drake toward the living room and sitting down on the couch. He reluctantly sat down next to her, smoothing out his shirt as he did. Mindy wasn't used to seeing Drake dressed up, and he looked good – damn good.

Drake smiled a little dejectedly, but quickly put down his guitar case and took the instrument out, placing it across his lap. "You do, though."

"I'd much rather talk to you than listen to a song." She saw a bit of hurt cloud his eyes and quickly said, "It's nothing against you or your music, but…" Mindy gave him a wry smile. "How have you been?"

Drake ignored her question with a shake of his head and started to play the guitar. "I hope you like this," he said gently, finishing the intro and starting to sing.

_I can't have you,_

_You don't want me._

_It's the ghost of you that haunts me._

_It's the thought of you with someone else._

_When I think of how he holds you,_

_I take back what I told you._

_Still, in the end, I'm by myself._

There was something about Drake when he played guitar; for a few moments, watching him strum the strings with great ease, Mindy turned into one of the fangirls who fell at his feet the second he started playing music. His eyes were closed, his dark eyelashes contrasted against his light freckled cheeks, and his hair was falling slightly into his eyes. He looked so serene; he looked like his passion was back, and Mindy was glad that in some way, she had been the one to help him find it. She was responsible for his look of serenity, for his happiness, for finding love in music again.

As he sang, the words pulled on Mindy's heart.

_If I told you what I'm thinking,_

_Would you tell me I should let it go now, let it go now?_

_Say what you want, but I won't give up._

_I gave you my heart_

_Isn't that enough to show you I need you?_

Drake looked up at Mindy with a slight smile after he finished the song, leaning his guitar on the arm of the couch. He couldn't read her; she had an excellent poker face and he knew that was because of her occupation. It annoyed him, though, because he couldn't place what she was thinking and he thoroughly wished he could.

"Oh, Drake." A grin spread across her face, and it didn't look broken like the last time Drake had seen her smile; it didn't look like she was hiding something – she actually looked happy. "That was beautiful. I don't know what to say…"

"Say you'll give me a chance," Drake replied, taking her hands and gazing into her deep eyes. "Say you'll give me one date. One. I know you're going out with Sam, I get that, but please, give me one date. That's all I'm asking you, and if we have nothing, then we can just be friends because I –"

"Drake!" Mindy barked, squeezing Drake's hand tightly. It felt right to be holding his hand; their connection was undeniable.

"No, let me finish," he told her, almost angry that she had tried to cut him off. "I'm sure this Sam guy is great, but if you'll…"

"I broke up with him, Drake! I broke up with him!"

He dropped her hands in shock. "What? You – what? Are you serious?"

Mindy nodded with a sigh, then a smile. "After we had lunch, I couldn't get you off my mind. We have something. We really do. And I thought long and hard about it, but I realized that every time I was with Sam, I'd be thinking of you, and it wasn't fair to him and it wasn't far to you, so I broke up with him."

Drake grinned, still trying to process everything. He couldn't believe that Mindy actually broke up with Sam; sure, he had hoped she would, but he didn't imagine that was the news he'd receive upon going to her house. "Why didn't you tell me before now?"

She sighed, taking his hand again and feeling a warmth surround her the second their fingers were intertwined. She looked into his chocolate eyes and saw happiness – a hint of surprise, but happiness. "When I told you I was dating someone, you looked as broken as you did the day we first reconnected, and I couldn't stand knowing I did that to you. I got together with Sam that night and broke up with him. I wanted to call you right away and let you know, but I figured you wouldn't want to see me. I'm sorry for the pain I caused you, Drake. I never meant to do that. I'm so glad that you didn't give up on me because…"

Mindy was cut off by Drake pressing his lips to hers – something he'd wanted to do for a very long time. It was their first kiss, and Mindy was sure she saw fireworks. His hands were slipping through her hair like butter, and her hands were sliding down his back in a way that sent shivers down Drake's spine. He felt Mindy's lips turn up into a smile against his, and he couldn't help but return the gesture. Mindy fell to the couch, pulling Drake will her feeling lightheaded with happiness. They fit together; it was easy to see with the way their bodies fell perfectly in line and the way all of it felt so _right. _They wondered why that had both denied this connection for so long; it was palpable and scary and real and raw and beautiful and exciting.

Suddenly remembering what Mindy said when they first reconnected, Drake pulled away causing Mindy to let out a yelp and open her eyes, lips still mid-pucker. "What?"

"Is this too fast?" Drake asked, knowing that for him, this most definitely wasn't. This was an incredibly slow pace for him because had it been anyone other than Mindy Crenshaw, her bra would be off by now and there would be a lot more than making out happening. "This first day you said this was all too fast…"

Mindy grinned, happy to see that Drake was willing to take her feelings into consideration. He wasn't the selfish guy she remembered; he really had changed his ways. "This is perfect," she declared, letting her lips touch Drake's again and making it his turn to smile.

Whatever this thing was between them thrilled them both. It was new, it was fresh, and it was exhilarating. It might last, it might not, but that was up to them to find out. There were twists and turns on the road ahead and sacrifices to be made, but they were ready to face them – together. Because when it came down to it, in a very unusual way, they made each other whole.


End file.
